nuschak



1,512,855 F. NUSCHAK ASTRONOMIG NAUTICAL APPARATUS Filed Aug. :5, 1922 2sneeze-sheet 1 W, flan/7 KM Oct. 21, 1924. 1,512,856

. F. NUSCHAK ASTRONOMIG NAUTICAL APPARATUS Filed Aug. 2,.1922 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Get. 21, 1924.

PATENT QFFECE.

FRANCESCO NUSCHAK, OF TRIESTE, ITALY.

ASTRONOMI C NAUTICAL APPARATUS.

Application filed August 2, 1922. Serial No. 579,255.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCESCO N USCHAK,

a subject of the King of Italy, and residing at 1 Via Donizetti,Trieste, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAstronomic Nautical Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

' The invention relates to a device intended to determine the positionof an observer on the surface of the earth or the line of position ofthe observer and it is based on the fact that any such point or line maybe determined by means of the latitude of the observer, the hour angleof.

a star, the altitude of the star and its declination at the moment ofthe observation. 1

According to the, invention, these four factors are reproduced on fourarcs which represent respectively the prime meridian of the celestialsphere, a declination circle, the celestial equator and a vertical orazimuth circle. These four arcs are so combined and connected that theirrotary movements are interdependent between them and they showautomatically the value of any fourth factor when three fac tors areknown or the variations of any unknown factor in dependence on thevariations of a second unknown factor when two of these factors areknown.

The device thus makes it possible to de termine automatically theposition of any point on the surface of the earth with the soleassistance of a chronometer, a sextant, the astronomic-nautical chart,the horizon of the sea or the artificial horizon, and without any of theastronomic-nautical calculations which have been necessary up to now.

The invention is shown, by way of example, in the annexed drawingwherein Figures 1 and 2 show a perspective view of two constructionalforms of the invention.

The device shown in Figure 1 comprises four arcs 1, 2, 3 and 4. The are1 is arranged to rotate about the axis XX which passes through itscenter point at right angles to its plane. The are 2 is adapted torotate about its diameter P--P which is parallel to the plane of the are1, and is further capable of rotating about the axis XX together withthe are 1 on which it is mounted. The are 3 is firmly secured to the arc1 in a plane which is perpendicular to the plane of the are 1 and to theaxis PP, and it may rotate about the axis XX together with the arcs 1and 2. The are 4 is rotatable around its diameter ZZ which is parallelto the plane of the are 1.

These arcs are arranged so that the three arcs 2, 3, 4 have a commoncenter 0 on the axis XX of the are 1. They are intended to measure theangles formed by their planes and for this purpose are provided withgraduations and with a Vernier 5, 6, 7 and 8 respectively totake thereadings. The verniers 6 and 8 of the arcs 2 and 4 are con nected by apin 9 on which they may rotate about the axis YY which passes throughthe center 0., In this way, an interdependence is created between themovements of the are 4 and those of the other arcs.

The arc 1 is rotatably mounted on a support 10 which has also pivotallysecured to it the are 4 and the arcs 2 and 4 are counterweighted asshown in 11 and 12 to balance the device.

The are 1 represents the prime meridian of the celestial sphere and isgraduated to show the latitudes. The are 2 represents a declinationcircle and is graduated so as to show the declinations of the stars.The. are 3 represents the celestial equator and is graduated to show thehour angles of the stars. The are 4 represents a vertical circle and isgraduated to show the altitudes of the stars. The combination of thesefour arcs reproduces a quarter of the celestial vault, which is quitesufficient to solve all the combinations of the stars above the horizonof an observer, considering that eastward and westward of the primemeridian there appear the same combinations of arcs and therefore thesame results, except that the hour angle must be substracted from 24hours when it is to the east of the meridian.

Considering now that for determining the position of a point ofobservation on the surface of the earth it is necessary to have recourseto the following four factors, latitude of the observer, hour angle of astar,

the altitude of the star and its declination at the moment ofobservation, it is evident that when three of these factors are knownand the verniers of the respective arcs are set in accordance with thesefactors, the device will automatically show the fourth factor and thusthe position of the observer will be ascertained. Or when two factorsare known the device will show the variations of the third factor independence on the variations of the fourth factor; When it is desired todetermine the line of position of the observer it will be understoodthat when setting the device, for example in accordance with thedeclination and the altitude of the star, it will show for difierentlatitudes different hour angles and therefore difierent longitudes andon the Mercator inap these points willbe the points of the line ofposition of the observer at the moment of the observation. 4 lineperpendicular to this line will be the azimuth of the star.

When two observatioiis ot' stars made at the same moiiieiit and on thesame side ofth'e priiiie meridian are available the device showiiinFigure 2 may be employed where in the three arcs 2, 3 and 'hav-e each a'double' indicated respectively by 2 3 and P. In this'case, when thedistance between the two arcs 2 and 2 is set to be e'q'ualto thedifl'erence of the right asceiision's of the stars and the are 2 is setin accordance with the declination of one star and the arc 2 in'accordance with the declinationot' the second star andthe' arcs 4 and 4are set in accordance With the respective altitudes; it is possible toobtain immediately the latitude aiid the hour angle of a star andthereby the l'on itud'e of an observer a't the moment of ob.,

serva tioii; If the two stars are'oiie onltiief the-sum of the twohourtaiigles is equal to the difference ofthe right ascensio'iis of thetwo stars; the latitude indicated by the detor, and a'verti'cal circle,eacli'oiiwl ich arcs is coi'istructed to beset rotation on} an axis, theare representing the merid an and that representing the celestialequator, ing rigidly cdnfiecieamegsumran ed table" about a vertical axisa horizontal age on the meridian arc,'.rthe are. reiii esent ing thedeclination circle being rotatable about the horizor ta1po1ar axis;anathema or the 7 vertical ci i*cle bein,g rotatable abe 'it a 116m;

zontal axis, these tliree'ai es intersecting a common center poii'i't'above the' plane of the meridian arc.

2: .A d i a 191 1 11 wi emhe representing respectively the declinationcircle, the celestial equatorand the vertical circle are sash dupl catedin ,order to allow of determmm ,qfi0iu.obse

stars, the eogra hica'llatitude'and thiibtr angle of the point ofobservation.

In testimony where'ot I h" ve sa a at Trieste, in theKingdomofItaly,thisl Oth dayvof July, 1922, in thepi'esence of two sub scribingwitnesses.

i F; NUSGHAIC Witnesses: I 1

GIOVANNI N USCH AK, GIORGIO Sdfinhil.

